Snake in the Shadow
by Happysheep
Summary: My first proper Star Wars fic! Anakin's heading for trouble but can ObiWan reach him in time? Rated for future chapters. Please R&R. CHAPTER 3 HAS ARRIVED AT LAST!
1. Chapter 1

Author notes: My first proper Star Wars fic. If I've bad spelling/grammar please don't tell me, I get enough stick from my mate.

**Please R&R**, even if this story is bad and there's no words to describe how bad it is.

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Anakin entered the lunch hall were most of the other padawan's were eating. He gazed solemnly at the floor as a blob of green mash was dumped on his plate by a dinner lady. He walked across the hall and sat in the far corner, away from everyone else. He wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone today, especially not his 'friend' Kenda. She kept telling Anakin that she didn't mean to throw the water bomb at him; it was an 'accident'. Anakin knew all too well that it wasn't an accident and had decided to avoid her, just to teach her a lesson. 

As he sat on his own, pushing the muck on his plate with a fork, he felt someone standing behind him.

"Excuse me, is anyone sitting there?" A soft voice asked.

"Err… no."

A plate appeared next to Anakin, followed by a body. Anakin glanced to his right to get a better view of this person. The young girl, who smiled back at him sweetly, had waist length straight silver hair that fell about her honey skin. A pair yellow snake like eyes flashed back at him from beneath her long lashes, and when she opened her mouth to speak rows of pointed and jagged fangs glittered in a way that seemed menacing.

"So what's your name?" she asked pleasantly.

"Anakin Skywalker." The young Jedi felt a little lost for words, he'd never seen anyone quite like her before. He gazed at her slender figure that was enhanced by the plain black kimono style dress she was wearing. It never occurred to Anakin that her style of clothing was usual in the temple. "What's your name?"

"It's a little short but it's Astrid Nyoka Cora Aloha Ciara Drew."

"That's… short?" Anakin gaped disbelievingly.

"Yes, usually it's ten middle names on my planet. But people on this planet can't seem to get their heads round the name so you can just call me either Astrid or Ciara. Most people do."

"Um… ok can I just call you Astrid?"

"Sure Anakin." Astrid smiled before turning her attention to her plate. A long snake-like tongue slithered out and wrapped round the mush, drawing it in in a very unsightly way.

Anakin was sure she'd be full of surprises.

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"Obi-Wan, who is Astrid? I don't think I've ever seen her in the temple before." Anakin said thoughtfully as he and his Master sat together in their rooms. 

"Maybe that's because she'd only just arrived." Obi-Wan answered.

"Master?"

"She's just joined the Jedi order."

"But she's about my age, surely she'd too old." Anakin didn't understand. Perhaps his Master was talking for a certain point of view again.

"I know, but the council has disgusted this matter and because of her… unique abilities we feel she is capable of becoming a Jedi, despite her age."

"Why wasn't I told? After all I am on the council." Anakin felt increasingly angry and frustrated. The council were holding information back from him which meant they didn't trust him.

Obi-Wan, sensing his padawan's frustration, said, "Anakin, you haven't been told because this is up to the Master's to decide…"

"I don't see why I'm on the council and am not even a Master, it's insulting!"

"Anakin, you have to be patient, you will become a Master if you prove yourself worthy. Not just anyone can become a Master." Obi-Wan sighed, knowing that Anakin wouldn't listen. "Look, it's late and I'm tired. Try and get some sleep and we can talk about this in the morning."

Anakin said nothing, what was there to say? If Obi-Wan weren't going to tell him anything he'd just have to go find out for himself.

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Did you enjoy that? Please R&R. 


	2. Chapter 2

Author's notes: Thanks to the people that reviewed! Not really sure how to best describe this chapter... please read and find out.

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Anakin entered the Jedi library silently. Being three in the morning the place was completely deserted save for the librarian. The old man was spread across his desk, snoring gently. Anakin crept silently round the side of the desk and, keeping a watchful eye on the old man, entered the classified areas of the computer. 

"Shit!" Anakin breathed as it asked for a hand scan.

He used the force to gently lift the old man's hand and place it in the scanner. After a series of loud bleeps, Anakin was in the confidential files of every Jedi in the temple.

A small search icon box appeared were Anakin typed in _'Astrid Drew'. _There was a pause before Astrid's file appeared. It showed a picture of her smiling sweetly at the camera along with other information.

"From the planet Callaccattumalah, or informally Malah, in the Coras system." Anakin read out quietly. "Malah, a completely rainforest planet, is home to the reptile-human like species, the Slarra's…"

The old man suddenly grumbled but stayed sleeping.

Anakin took a deep breath before continuing to read Astrid's personal information. "Full name Astrid Nyoka Cora Aloha Ciara Drew… Species: Slarra… 16 years of age… will be assigned to Master Yoda…" Anakin suddenly stopped reading. His attention had fallen on an option that said 'Confidential material, for the use of council member's only'. Anakin selected the icon but another password option for a hand scan appeared.

Sighing with frustration, he realised that he was on the council so surely he could access these files so he put his hand into the scanner. A red light suddenly flashed and a piecing siren wailed from the computer. The old man yelled and, in his confusion, fell to the floor. Anakin quickly withdrew his hand and started running for the exit. The old man yelled after him and attempted to follow but Anakin was too fast.

Within minutes he was running down the silent hallway to his room. He flung the door open and ran into his bedroom, collapsing exhausted on his bed. With his heart pounding in his chest and his breathing heavy from his non-stop run, he scrambled out of his clothes… but not in time.

"ANAKIN!" Obi-Wan yelled as he banged his fists on the locked door. "OPEN THE DOOR!"

Anakin ignored his Master and finished getting changed.

"Anakin! Open this door now! What the hell are you doing, charging round the temple at this time of night? Anakin, I need answers!"

Anakin cursed himself. He'd completely forgotten that he shared with rooms his Master and also the fact that if he was woken up suddenly, he'd get very moody. Anakin was just surprised he hadn't knocked the door down yet.

"Anakin." His Master was calming down but he wasn't going to talk to him. He'd get found out. "Anakin do you know what time it is? Listen I'm going back to bed but we're continuing this conversation in the morning."

Anakin knew his was far too tiered to inquire as to where he was but he knew he'd have to talk to him eventually. At least now he had time to make up an alibi.

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Anakin hung his head as he stood before the council. They'd somehow found out about him trying to hack into Jedi computer system and were currently giving him the lecture of his life.

"Explain yourself, you shall. Why, young padawan?" Master Yoda said severely.

"I don't know." Anakin said quietly. It wasn't a lie, he wasn't quite sure why he'd done it but the fact that he'd be punished remained.

"No excuse, that is! A punishment, you shall receive. Put padawan Astrid's life in danger, you may have."

"I'm sorry Master." Anakin said with a heavy feeling of guilt resting on him.

"Disappointed in you, I am. Leave us now, you shall."

Anakin turned and left the council room, he knew he'd disappointed his Master's but there was nothing he could do about it now.

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Did you enjoy that? Please R&R. 


	3. Chapter 3

Author's notes: Soz this chapter's taken so long to post, had terrible writer's block. Anyway, hope you enjoy. Please R&R

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£££££ 1 year later £££££_

"Anakin! Anakin!"

The young Jedi turned to see Astrid running down the hallway in a plain Jedi outfit, her hair billowing out behind her. She came to a halt in front of him, smiling widely.

"Anakin, guess what!" She was so excited she was bouncing slightly on her heels.

"What?"

"Master Yoda says I've made significant progress! He says I'm a model Jedi!"

"That's brilliant." Anakin smiled giving Astrid a congratulatory hug.

"And guess what."

Anakin sighed. "What?"

"We're going on a mission together! We're going with Master Kenobi to this sand planet near Tatooine, its called Toona. We're going to liberate the place of a band of serial killers… scum basically. Some of them are wanted in almost 12 galaxies!"

Anakin couldn't help but laugh at Astrid's eagerness though he felt something wasn't quite right. "So when are we leaving?"

"Very soon, Master Yoda wants us to get there as quickly as possible because of the distress signals being received."

Anakin felt a smile play on his face. Finally some action! Ever since the library incident, his Master had confined him to the temple. He wasn't allowed to go anywhere on his own and he wasn't allowed to take part in any missions, no matter how trivial. This would be the first time in a year that he'd be allowed to go anywhere.

"I'll see you down at docking bay 3C in an hour." Astrid smiled before rushed off down to corridor towards the library.

Anakin didn't hang around. He rushed back to the room he shared with his Master and started to pack. The tiny suitcase held only a change of clothes, a blaster, dried food and a small piece of equipment that could capture moisture in the air. He'd invented it himself.

After he'd finished, he clipped his lightsabre to his belt and headed for the docking bay. As he approached the small ship, he noticed Astrid waving at him trough the cockpit to hurry up.

"Finally, what took you so long?" Astrid smirked as Anakin joined her.

"Well you know the usual. Had to make sure my clothes were clean, and then I had to choose the right colour…"

"It's difficult… how can you decide between the varieties of brown and brown?" Astrid humoured as she started up the engines.

Anakin laughed and his nagging feeling disappeared. He didn't even notice that his Master was nowhere to be seen.

Astrid turned the ship round, shot out of the hanger and entered the atmosphere. "Ready to make the jump to light speed?"

"Am I ever?" Anakin grinned.

Astrid set the coordinates and in seconds they were hurtling across the galaxy towards Tatooine and whatever there mission held for them.

_££££££££££_

Obi-Wan marched into the council chambers and approached Yoda who was meditating. "Master, have you seen Anakin or Astrid?"

The Jedi sat in thought for a moment. "Gone to Toona, they have. In danger, they are."

"Why are they going to Toona?" Obi-Wan asked urgently.

"Unsure, I am. Follow them, we must. The Dark side, I sense." Yoda said gravely, standing up and hobbling out of the room.

Obi-Wan followed, trying to understand what was happening. "I don't understand what they're doing? Anakin is still under punishment and Astrid is still unstable in her abilities. Why have they left?"

Yoda stopped and turned to face the confused Master. "Been manipulated, Astrid has. Entered her mind, the Dark side has. Use her abilities, the Dark side will. In danger, Anakin is."

"But how has this happened? Will she hurt Anakin?"

"How this has happened, I don't know. Hurt Anakin, she may."

"She'd never hurt Anakin, they're so close…"

"Very powerful, the Dark Side of the force is with Astrid. Unaware of anything, she will be. In grave danger, Anakin is."

Obi-Wan followed the Jedi Master into the docking bay. He rushed up to the supervisor. "Have two padawan's recently used this docking day?"

"Yes, they left about an hour ago." The man answered.

"Go to Toona, we must." Yoda said urgently as he made his way towards a small ship.

'Anakin please be alright' Obi-Wan thought as he also boarded the ship with Yoda.

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Did you like that? Even if you didn't, please R&R anyway. 


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